Speed-regulator



(No Model.) v R. J. HOFFMAN.

SPEED REGULATOR.

No. 472,365. r, Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

. in which UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

ROSS J. HOFFMAN, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

SPEED-REGULATOR.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,355, dated April 5,1892. Application filed June 8, 1891. Serial 110.395.558- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ross J. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpeed-Regultators, of which the following is a specificaion.

The invention set forth hereinafter is an improvement in regulatingdevices for controlling the throttle-valves of the steam or other pipeswhich supply the motive power to the driving-engine and is of thatparticular class the regulating device is controlled by thewater-pressure produced by the englue.

The object of the invention is to obtain a sensitive and uniform actionof a regulating device upon the throttle-valve.

The special features are described in connection with the parts whichare old and are indicated in the claim.

My invention is illustrated in nying drawings, in which- Figure 1 showsthe apparatus in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly insection.

In the drawings, A represents the valvechamber of a main supply-pipe bywhich steam or other fluid under pressure conveys power to thedriving-engine, the threaded ends a a of the valvechamber showing theconnections, the direction of the current being indicated by thearrow 1. In the valvechamber is shown an ordinary valve, the stem ofwhich 7) projects through a stuifing-box and is connected by a yoke c,the arms of which pass up outside of the base D of the pressure cylinderand are connected to the hooked end of arms d, the upper ends of whichare connected with the cross-bar e, which rests on the upper end of thepiston f. This connection is such that the throttle-valve is suspendedupon the piston of the pressure-cylinder and the pressure of the steamor other fluid in the main pipe tends to pull down the piston. The plateD, which supports the pressure-cylinder F, is carried upon a frame G,which is supported upon the valve-chamber, as shown clearly .in Fig. 1.A port is made in the lower end of the pressure-cylinder, through whichconnection is made with the accompaa pipe h, this pipe having connectionwith the top of the pump or with some part of the system which receivesthe pressure of water from the pump, as may be most convenient, it beingnecessaryonly that the pipe h, which connects with the interior of thepressure-cyllnder beneath the piston, should be in communication withthe water-pressure caused by the engine, which receives its motor-powerthrough the valve-chamber A. It will be readily understood that thepressure of the water underneath the pislonf will tend to close thevalves. Valves of this class have heretofore been regulated by means ofa spring, the

pressure of which completed the balancing of,

the valve and held it in properly-regulated position, adjusted to therequired amount of steam or other fluid supplied to the engine. Theaction of the spring is unequal, and, wh le it is difficult to start,the resistance of it 1ncreases directly with the distance to which it ismoved,the result being a reaction and consequent instantaneous and rapidoscillation of the valve. This unequal and sudden movement of the springis especially unsuitable for operation in connection with the steady anduniform pressure of the water underneath the piston, which acts inopposition to the force of the spring, the water being unyielding anduniform in its movement.

In order to supp y a steady uniform regulating pressure better adaptedto act in connection with the Water-pressure underneath the piston, Ihave provided a weight W, adj ustable, as usual, on the lever K. Thislever has bifurcated arms 76, (shown in Fig. 2,) which extend on eachside of the, cylinder and are spread so as to rest on the knifeedges ofthe outwardly-bent ends Z of the links d. The ends of the arms is areextended, being bent downward to pass under similar knife-edges onst-andardsm on the base D. Thus the lever is fulcrumed at its outer endand acts as a lever of the first order, the resistance of the steamfurnishing the work to be done by the lever or weight. The weight beingadjustable according to the nature of the throttle-valve which is to beregulated, the pressure of the water, which varies according to the workwhich is to be done, when it is in excess of the normal pressure orbeyond what is required at the moment, acts is liable when acted upon bythe waterpressto lift the weight, and thus control the throttle-Valve,so as to reduce the orifices through which the steam passes, and thusdii'ninishes the supply of steam to the engine. 0n the other hand,areduction of the water-prcssu re in the pipe h below the normal orrequired point will cause the piston to descend by the pressure of theweight and will open the valve and increase the supply to the engine. Ineither movement the action of the weight is uniform throughout the wholemovement, and it starts and stops without violence and without rapidvibrations to which the spring In the \\'ater-pressnre pipe h I haveprovided a regulating-valve r, by which I regulate the pressure of thewater on the under side of the piston j". By means of this valve themost accurate adjustment can be attained and the valve nicely regulatedto give the required movement.

In order further to relieve the movement of the piston in the pressurecylinder from sudden and violent movement, I have established aconnection between the chamber in the n'essure-cylinder above the pistonand. the exhaust or suction side of the pump which supplies water to thetank or other receiver of the water-supply. This is shown in Fig. 1

at 1). Its upper end communicates with the upper part of thepressure-cylinder, the point 0t communication being shown at P in Fig.2. l

The other end connects with the suction-pipe I" of the pump. \Vhile thepump is in action the force of the suction tends to reduce the pressureof the air which is in the cylinder above the piston and in the pipe 1),and thus regulates the movement of the piston. At the same time the airwhich remains in the pipe and cylinder serves a cushion, the elasticnature of which is very greatly increased by the increased spaceafforded by the pipe connections. The pipe 1) is provided with aregulating'valve g, by which the passage may be reduced or closedaltogether.

I claim as my invention- In combination with the throttle-valve and itscasing, the pressure-cylinder and piston above the same, the yokeconnection between the piston and the valve-stein extending upon eachside of the cylinder and having on each side the laterally-prejectingbearings Z l, the plate D, into which the cylinder is screwed, havingthereon the bearings m, the lever K, engaging the bearings m to pivotthereon and engaging the bearings l to press the same downward, with theyokes, piston, and valve, and the adjustable weight on the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROSS J. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses.

Isiinonn MIDDLETON, HENRY E. COOPER.

